Secondary battery



(No'Model.)

H. E. DEY. SECONDARY BATTERY.

No. 418,700. Patented. Jan. 7, 1890.

UNITED STATES-y PATENT EEICE.

HARRY E. DEY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssieNoR ToPHoEEUs H. ALEXANDER,

OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS,

. SECONDARY BATYERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,700, dated January7, 1890.

Application filed July 29, 1889. Serial No. 319,090. (No model.)

5 have invented certain, new and .useful Improvements inStorage-Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

In a patent granted to me July 9, 1889, No. 406,822, I have shown anddescribed a storagelated from one another vand forming practicallyindependent cells, for which the plates themselves make the Walls ordivisions, so that each plate becomes, by the process of forming,positive on one side and negative on the other. In the constructionofthe battery referred to the isolation of each of the small cells waseffected by the use of independent insulating-strips placed along theedges of the several plates and between the same, and by the further useof a plastic insulating compound between the plates and strips and thewalls or'sides of the main containing box or cell. v My presentinventionis an improvement in the construction of battery-cells'ot' thischaracter, whereby the same may be made more economically and easily andthe cells as aV whole rendered more durable and effective.

In carrying out the invention I first form in any suitable manner, as bymolding or rolling, a sheet of insulating material--such as rubber orother material of a similar naturewith 4parallel grooves orcorrugations. These sheets are cut to the width of the battery case orcell and are laid along the bottom and two sides of the interior of thecell. The plates are then passed down into the cell with their edgesentering the grooves or corrugationsv in the insulating-sheet. Then, byany suitable means the plates lare clamped together, so that theprojections or corrugations of the 'insulating-sheet will be iirmlypressedagainst the edges of the plates insulating them and formingwater-tight compartments. This construction, with other details, I haveillustrated in the accompanying drawings..

Figure l is a transverse section of the insulating-sheet. Fig. 2 is aperspective view battery containing a number of plates insuof a celllinedy with the corrugated sheets ready to receive the plates. Fig. 3 isa section of a cell with the plates inserted in place. A sheet A isformed with "ribs or corrugations a and grooves b. These sheets may beformed by rolls or in a mold, and, While preferably of comparativelysoft and pliant indiarubber, may be made of any other insulatingmaterial that will serve the same purpose.

B is aboX or cell, of Wood or other proper material, one side of which,as C, is adapted to be secured-by screws, so'that it may serve as aclampA for binding together the plates and the insulating-sheet.

In the box or cell B, I apply to two opposite sides and the bottom alength of the sheet A, which may be attached to the boX by cement, if sodesired. Ialso line the other side of said boX with thinner sheets D D,of rubber or like material, which is preferably cemented to the edges ofthe sheet A. By this means theinsulation of the cell is completed. Afterthe sheet A is in position in the cell B, I force down into the groovesthe batteryplates E, as shown in Fig. 3. The side C of the cell is thensecured to the boX by screws F, and when thus secured tightly to the boxvthe plates E should be iirmly clamped bythe corrugationsot the sheet A.

The special character of the battery-plates is largelyamatter of choice.It is essential, however, that they have a body of solid ma-`terial-that is to say, without perforations of any kind which willpermit the passage through them of the battery exciters or solutions.Their surfaces, however, may contain recesses or corrugations, or beprepared in any other desired manner to receive and hold the activematerial. By this construction the spaces between the plates constituteeach a complete cell, the Walls of which are formed by the platesthemselves. Into these cells the electrolyte is poured, and when thebattery is suitably formed or charged the electro-motive force which thebattery is capable of developing will be very high. Each plate becomespositive on one side and negative on the other,

the contents of each of the cells being kept separate from that of theothers by the solid body of the plate itself. This is true of allaffected or rendered active on one side only.

The electrical connections are made in any of the usual ways with thetwo end plates of the series.

XVhat I claim isl. In a secondary or storage battery, the combination,with the plates, of a sheet of tiexible insulating material formed withgrooves or eorrugations, into which the edges of the plates ext-end,forming separate oompartments or cells between each pair of plates, andmeans for clamping the said sheet and plates together to formwater-tight joints, as set forth.

2. Theeombination, with an outerbox orcell, of a lining or inner oellcomposed of the corrugated or grooved rubber sheet A on the bottom andtwo opposite sides, and the insulating-sheets on the other sides,batteryplates with their lower and side edges entering the grooves inthe sheet A, and means for clamping or binding together the groovedsheets and the plates to form water -tight joints, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the box or Cell B, of the corrugated or groovedsheet of rubber applied to the bottom and to opposite sides of theinterior of the cell, the plates E, with their lower and side edgesentering the grooves in said sheet, and means for clamping or bindingtogether the sheet and the plates to form water-tight joints, as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th day ofJuly, A. D. 1389.

HARRY E. DEY.

\Vitnesses:

PARKER W. PAGE, CAROLINE E. DAVIDSON.

